If the Idaho football team has struggled with anything this season, it’s finishing what it started.
It’s a theme that’s been so obvious that BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall addressed it following the Cougars’ Monday practice.
“Idaho is a team that has struggled with consistency on both offense and defense,” Mendenhall told reporters. “Stretches they show capability and then they have had issues turning over the football and maintaining a high level of execution from the beginning of a game to the end of the game. I think that has been their biggest challenge.”
In all but two of the Vandals’ seven losses, they’ve been able to hold serve throughout the first half. Idaho has trailed by an average of five points after two quarters in losses to Eastern Washington, Bowling Green, LSU, Wyoming, Texas State and San Jose State.
In those games, they’ve also allowed an average of almost 22 points in the second half.
The ability to finish out games and endure the third and fourth quarter is something interim Idaho coach Jason Gesser said the team has emphasized since last season, when it lost two games in overtime and two others by one touchdown or less.
“At the end of the day what it comes down to is when you get to that scenario when you have to do it, it’s actually doing it,” Gesser said. “You can talk to them about until you’re blue in the face, but when the opportunity presents itself you’ve got to have that confidence and that ability in you’re head.”
Although a refreshed, re-energized Vandal squad may not lack the confidence or the opportunity, being unable to execute in such scenarios has prevented them from closing out game, after game, after game.
Gesser, speaking as one who saw many of the same scenarios during his playing days at Washington State, says a player’s mindset can take a toll as the losses pile up.
“It just takes that one person or a couple guys that say, ‘screw this, we’re going to make it happen, one way or another and pull these other guys along,'” he said. “If you do anything as much as we do it and as hard as we do it, but yet we don’t see that positive result at the end of the day, you start questioning yourself.”
When the Vandals and Cougars met last season in Provo, BYU was relentless but consistent. The hosts beat Idaho into the ground for three quarters, tallying 14 points in each, before letting up in the fourth when they went scoreless. Idaho’s sole touchdown came on an 82-yard touchdown run from ex-Vandal Princeton McCarty.
The Cougars were a six-win team when Idaho came to town a season ago but are currently 5-4, meaning a win Saturday would make them bowl eligible.
With just one loss at home this season, BYU holds a major advantage in their home fortress. An average of 61,191 fans per game have packed LaVell Edwards Stadium this season, third in the nation amongst teams in the Western United States.
Not to mention an elevation of more than 4,500 feet and crisp temperatures that are expected to be in the mid-30’s Saturday.
Though Vandal players practice on the chilly frontier of Moscow, they’ve yet to encounter freezing weather on the road.
“We’ve played in the cold weather before so we’re not too worried about it,” Idaho center Mike Marboe said. “But it’s been brought to our attention to prepare for it, so people have to get their minds right for that and prepare. We have our warm gear out so I don’t think it’s going to affect us too much.”
Idaho’s chances at bowl eligibility had been dwindling since a season-opening loss to Eastern Washington, and the Vandals’ last opportunity to initiate any kind of streak came three games ago in a 38-7 loss to newly promoted FBS program Texas State.
At this point, Marboe described the most important thing for this group is playing for the senior class.
“This team’s been through a lot, we have. There is no denying that. We’re working together as much as we can, we’re fighting every chance we get,” he said.
Regardless of the outcome, Idaho will depart Provo thousands of dollars richer. The Cougars made a large contribution to the $2.35 million Idaho accumulated this season from three “guarantee games”. An opportunity to upset one of the nation’s most consistently dominant squads may be more attractive to a hungry Vandal squad.
Kickoff at LaVell Edwards Stadium is at 7:15 pm. PDT and the game will be aired on ESPN U.
Theo Lawson can be reached [email protected]
Tony Marcolina | Argonaut
Running back Jake Manley catches a pass and protects the ball during practice Wednesday at the SprinTurf. The Vandals will play at 7:15 p.m. Saturday at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.